The scene of an incident

Arriving at the scene of an incident

You can reduce the chances of being involved in an incident by driving defensively. Unfortunately, road traffic incidents are always possible, even with the greatest care.

You might also come upon the scene of an incident. It could be that you’re the first to arrive and the safety of existing casualties and other road users might be in your hands.

Knowledge and preparation can save lives. If you’re involved in an incident, you MUST stop.

If you’re the first or among the first to arrive at the scene of an incident, avoid becoming a casualty yourself. Remember that

• further collisions can, and do, happen
• fire is a major hazard.

Take extra care when visibility is very poor.

What to do at the scene of an incident

Warn other traffic

Do this by

• switching on hazard warning lights or other lights
• displaying an advance warning triangle (unless you’re on a motorway)
• using any other means to warn other drivers.

Put out cigarettes or other fire hazards. Switch off your engine and warn others to do the same.

Call the emergency services if necessary.

Calling emergency services

Give full details of the location and casualties. On a motorway, this could mean going to the nearest emergency telephone.

Mobile phones

It can be very tempting to reach immediately for your mobile phone to call the emergency services.

Before you do, make sure you’ll be able to tell them exactly where you are. This is particularly important on a motorway, where imprecise details can cause great problems for the emergency services. Location details are given on marker posts located on the hard shoulder. Always check these before you make your call.

Additionally, you will find driver location signs on motorways and primary routes. These identify the precise location and help the emergency services to get to the scene quickly.

Dealing with those involved

Move uninjured people away from the vehicles involved to a place of safety.

On a motorway this should be away from the carriageway, hard shoulder or central reservation.

Don’t move casualties trapped in vehicles unless they’re in danger. Be prepared to give first aid as described later in this section.

Don’t remove a motorcyclist’s helmet unless it’s essential to do so; for example, if they’re having breathing difficulties.

When an ambulance arrives, give the crew as many facts as you can (but not assumptions, diagnoses, etc).

Incidents involving dangerous goods

If the incident involves a vehicle containing dangerous goods

• switch off your engine and don’t smoke keep well away from the vehicle
• call the emergency services and give the police or fire brigade as much information as possible about the labels and other markings. Don’t use a mobile phone close to a vehicle carrying flammable loads
• beware of dangerous liquids, dust or vapours, no matter how small a concentration, or however minor the effects on you may seem.

Full details of hazard warning plates, such as the one shown above, are given in The Highway Code.

Passing the scene of an incident

If you’re not one of the first to arrive at the scene of an incident and enough people have already stopped to give assistance, you should drive past carefully and not be distracted by the incident.

If the incident is on the other side of a dual carriageway or motorway, don’t slow down to look. You may cause another collision on your side of the road or, at the very least, additional and unnecessary traffic congestion.

Always give way to emergency and incident support vehicles. Watch out for their flashing lights and listen for their warning sirens. Depending on the type of vehicle, the flashing lights used could be red, blue, amber or green (see rules 106, 107, 219 and 281 in The Highway Code).

Police cones or vehicles

If these are obstructing the road, don’t drive round them; you should stop.

They mean that the road ahead is closed or blocked for an unspecified time.

If you’re involved in a road traffic incident

You MUST stop. If there are injuries, either call an ambulance and the police yourself or ask someone else to do it. Ask them to return to you when they’ve made the call to confirm that they’ve made it. You should

• give whatever help you can. People who seem to be unhurt may be suffering from shock and may, in fact, be unaware of their injuries
• ask yourself whether you’re hurt too. If in doubt, get a check-up at the hospital.

If you hit a domestic or farm animal, try to find the owner to report any injuries.

For any incident involving

• injury to another person or animal
• damage to another vehicle or property

give your name and address, the name and address of the vehicle’s owner and the registration number of the vehicle to anyone having reasonable grounds for requiring them. If this isn’t possible at the time of the incident, you MUST report the incident to the police as soon as possible and in any case within 24 hours. In Northern Ireland you must do this immediately.

If there has been an injury, you must also give insurance details to the police. If you can’t produce the insurance documents when you report the incident, you have up to seven days to produce them at a police station of your choice.

Witnesses

Note any witnesses and try to make sure they don’t leave before you get their names and addresses.

Make a note of the numbers of any vehicles whose occupants might have witnessed the incident.

You’ll need to exchange details and obtain

• the other driver’s name, address and phone number
• the make and registration number(s) of the other vehicle(s) involved
• insurance details.

Find out the vehicle owner’s details too, if different.

Information

Gather as much information as you can, such as

• vehicle damage and/or injuries you’re aware of
• the number of people present in the vehicle(s)
• weather conditions
• road conditions
• details of other vehicles. Record all information: the colour, condition, whether the lights were on, and whether they were showing any indicator signals • what was said by you and other people
• identification numbers of police involved
• any other possible factor in the incident.

Take photographs

If you have a camera or a mobile phone with a camera

• take pictures at the scene, including the registration plates of the vehicles involved
• try to record the conditions, vehicle damage and number of passengers present.

Some smartphone apps have a checklist feature designed to help you gather all the information you need in the event that you witness – or are involved in – a road traffic incident.

In gathering information, don’t place yourself in any danger.

Draw a map

Show the situation before and after the incident, and give approximate distances

• between vehicles
• from road signs or junctions
• away from the kerb.

Note skid marks, where any witnesses were situated, street names, car speeds and directions.

Statements

If the police ask you for a statement, you don’t have to make one straight away.

It could be better to wait a while, even if you don’t appear to be suffering from shock. Write your statement later. Take care with the wording, and keep a copy.

Fraud

The Insurance Fraud Enforcement Department (IFED) is a dedicated police investigation unit based at the City of London Police. They’re investigating insurance fraud and arresting suspected insurance fraudsters across the UK. IFED targets all kinds of insurance fraud, from organised gangs operating ‘crash for cash’ rings, through to individuals making fraudulent claims on personal injury and motor vehicle policies.

Therefore, it’s important to record as many details about the incident as you can, in order to prevent fraudulent insurance and personal injury claims.